Fabricated metal stud



ug. 3, 1937. H. w. HAHN 2,089,023

FABRICATED METAL STUD Filed April 5, i935 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 3, 1937 lUlvi'rrn STATES PATENT Aor-Flora:

4 Claims.

This invention comprehends the provision of a. fabricated metal stud, or structural member, of maximum rigidity and strength and of minimum Weight, so designedand formed as to .resist lateral zstresses, as when used in a wall structure, such as are caused by winds and earthquakes and yet sufficiently resistant to the longitudinal stresses in a wall structure to prevent distortion anddeformation of the wall, and withal, to provide a structure of far less weight and far greater strength and durability when used as wall studs than other types of integralv metal studs or wooden members.

An object is to provide a fabricated stud `composed of a pair of deeply channeled parallelside rails and one or more struts alternately bent in opposite directions and disposed in diagonal planes and firmly secured to the side rails in a simple and effective manner which may be readily and economically accomplished by machinery specially designed for the` purpose, thereby permitting the complete formation and fabrication of studs at a minimum cost and without the necessity for riveting, bolting or welding of the members together.

A further object is to provide side rails and struts which are correspondingly beaded or ribbed so as to correspond in cross section to the end that the members will be firmly and snugly nested together at their meeting points, and otherwise so formed at such points for interlocking portions of the attached members against disengagement or relative movement in any` direction.

Another object is to provide in connection'with the studs a form of foot piece or header specially adapted to support the lower ends of the studs and similarly adapted to rest upon and provide aheader for a series of studs. when used in a wall,

said ,memberbeing arranged for attachment to.

4to-v a sill or foundation by suitable anchors when used as a foot piece or for attachment to. rafters or joists as when used as a header. vOther and more detailed objects of invention will appear as the description progresses.

I have shown a preferred form of member in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a stud embodying my improvements in position ,for use, as in a wall structure, secured at its 4bottom to a ,preferred Fig.V 3 is a fragmentary section, in elevation, on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional. plan on line 4-4 y of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectionon line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 -is a fragmentaryview of the strut for Fig. 8 isa cross section of the side rails .on

Fig. 9 is a view o-f a section of vstructural member of slightlyv modified form; and

Fig. 10 is a section thereof on line lll-I0.

Each stud, or structural member includes a,l

pair of similar side rails R and R' uniformly spaced apart throughout their length and a strut S bent so as to alternately engage the side rails, as shown in Fig. 1, or as shown in Fig.'9, a pair of struts S andS' may be similarly formed andy secured to the respective side rails' R and 'R' and to each other at spaced points.

Rails R and R are preferably of the cross section shown in Fig. 8l with spaced sides 2, 2, right angular shoulders 3, 3, anda relatively central bead 4 of substantial depth, thereby pro` viding a cross section of substantial strength and capable of withstanding extraordinary stresses occasioned by wind or otherwise laterally Y'of-"a,V

wall and in the direction of the sides 2.

The strut S is a cross section shown in Fig.vr '7- with a central' bead 5 corresponding to and adapted to seat in the bead 4 of the railsA Rand R and has lateral at portions 6, 6, in a commonA plane and on opposite sides of the bead 5 adapted-j to rest firmly upon the shoulders 3, 3 of the rails,-

the width of member S substantially corresponding to the distance between thejtwo sides 2, 2, of rails R and R'.

Rails R and R have uniformly spaced relatan-5 gular perforations 1, '1, etc., from which the metal is cut and bentinwardly of the rails to formlugs 8,' 8, etc., at opposite points in the sides 2, 2,.sov as to overlie and interlock with notched portions 9', il, at opposite points on the edgesof the vstrut S. It will be understood that thestrut S is` incapable of transverse movement relative to the rails R and R due tothe nesting of the beaded" strut .in the beaded rails and .the interlocking of the lugs 'I withthe notches 9 of :the strut prevents any longitudinal movement of the strut relative to the rails. The legs 8 are cut and bent inwardly from the anges 2 of rails R and R at points close to the webs 3 so as not to weaken the rails and permit buckling at folding of the flanges under strains.

The members R, R and S are adapted to be fabricated and secured together in a continuous operation and in desired lengths by means of suitable machines which clinch the lugs 8 over the notches 9 While the rails and strut areheld in the machine, thus contributing to the economy in production and facility of manufacture.

A single strut S is employed for each stud or structural member and is alternately bent 1n opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 1 so as to provide alternating sections Ill and II at angles of approximately ninety degrees, and intermediate portions I2 paralleling the rails R and -R, the notches 9 being formed in the edges of the strut on opposite sides of the portions I2.

-A modified form of member may be provided, as shown in Fig. 9, with rails and struts of the same form as shown in Fig. 1, but in such form each member includes a pair of struts S and S secured to the rails R and R inthe same manner employed in the form shown in'Fig; l, but secured together at the alternate portions I2 by means of Ybands I3. In the last mentioned form of member, strut S is secured` to rail R, strut S is secured to rail R' and the two struts are secured together, as described, thereby providing a member of double the width of the form shown in Fig. 1 but with only one additional member.

Members A, A, etc., of angular cross section Amay be employed for supporting the lower ends of the rails R and R whereby the studs may be attached to a sill, foundation or other supporting surface as by means of wire ties I4 laced through perforations I5 in said members and arranged at uniform distances apart for varyingl the spacingA of the studs thereon. Similar members A may be attached in the sameor a different manner to the tops of the rails R and R for providing headers for supporting rafters, joists or the like. One or both sides of the members A maybe provided with smaller perforations I6 alternating with the perforations I5 through which anchors, nails or other attaching devices may be threaded for attaching the members A to the foundation, sill, rafters, joists or other structural members.

Thus, it will be noted that a stud or structural member constructed as shown and described herein is lof truss-like character and may be' formed of light weight metal and yet, by reason of the particular cross sections shown and the strutted connections between the rails the members possess greater strength and resistance to lateral stresses than is possible with ordinary l sheet metal studs formed of single pieces of material.

between the strut sections I and I I and the rails R and R afford ample space for running pipes,Y

conduits and wires throughout the length of a wall structure at a minimum cost and with great facility.

When used in a wall as studs my improved; structural members may be diagonally braced' Moreover, there can be no waste material j inthe formation of the members and the openings' prising: a pair of channeled rails having inwardly extending relatively wide sides, and a strut bent to form portions paralleling and so as to nest in the channels of said rails and of a width corresponding closely to the spacing of the sides of the rail channels, said bent portions being adapted to abut the bottoms of said channels, and means for securing said strut to said rails at said points of abutment, said means including notches formed on the margins of the bent portions of said strut and lugs bent from the channels of said rails at points near the bottoms of said rails and interlocking with said notches, said sides having their outer edges disposed in a common plane throughout the length thereof.

2. A fabricated steel structural member comprising: a pair of channeled rails having spaced sides inwardly turned, relatively right angular shoulders and a central longitudinal bead, and a strut having laterally formed flat portions adapted to engage the shoulders of said rails, said 'strut having oppositely bent portions at the junctions of which said strut engages said rails alternately, and means for securing said strut to said rails at said points of junction, said means including notched portions on the margins of said strut and lugs on said rails interlocking with said notched portions, said sides having the portions between said lugs and their outer edges as well as said outer edges disposed in the same planes as the remainder of said sides and edges.

3. A fabricated steel structural member comprising: a pair of rails of channeled cross section with inwardly turned sides, and a strut formed of a piece of material and bent in opposite directions for attachment to said rails at alternating points, said rails and said strut having correspondingly formed portions adapted to nest the abutting portions thereof at their points of attachment, and means for attaching said members together at said points of engagement, said means including cooperating marginal interlocking portions on said rails and said strut, said correspondingly joined portions including abutting flat portions extending longitudinally of said rails and strut and intertted beads extending longitudinally in said rails and strut and between said abutting flat portions, said sides of said rails having their outer edges disposed in a common plane throughout the length thereof.

4. A fabricated steel structural member comprising: a pair of channeled rails and a continuous strut therebetween bent to form alternating diagonal legs and intermediate attaching portions, the bottoms of the channels in said rails andthe attaching portions of said strut at least being correspondingly formed in cross section, said strut attaching portions and said rails having marginal interlocking portions for rigidly holding said members together, said correspondingly formed portions comprising abutting flat portions and interfitted beads of arcuate cross section between said fiat portions, said marginal locking portions comprising recesses cut in the edges of said at portions of the strut, and tongues struck from opposite sides of said rails and engaging in said recesses and overlying the said at portions of said strut, said sides of said rails having their outer edges disposed in a common plane throughout the length thereof.

HARRY W. HAHN. 

